iPhone 6 vs Google Nexus 5 – Which Is Better?

The original iPhone really shook up the phone market in 2007 and it was the start of Apple’s domination of the smartphone industry, but since then Android has become the most popular operating system. The Nexus 5 is LG and Google’s flagship device made to offer the purest form of Android available for more than half the price of the iPhone 6. The iPhone 6 is Apple’s response to the ever increasing sizes of smartphones as it’s now offered in a larger 4.7 inch form factor with an even slimmer aluminum build, but is it enough? How does Apple’s new iPhone 6 stack up to the LG Google Nexus 5? Let’s find out.

Physically, Apple has kept the metal backing but this year it has smooth curves going around the edges which makes it much slicker than last years iPhone 5S. Aesthetically speaking I truly hate the antenna design. Apple has outlined the top and bottom of the back of the device with these ugly looking antennas and along with that there’s also the protruding camera which just doesn’t blend well with the device. For that reason I’ve been using the Rearth Ringke Fusion Case, it’s the best one I’ve used so far and I’ll link my video review here.

The Nexus 5 also has a nice solid build, but it’s solid in a different way. Instead of aluminum, LG opted to go with a matte rubbery finish that’s similar to the feel of the Asus Nexus 7. It’s nice and grippy and won’t collect scratches so chances are a case isn’t completely necessary when rocking the Nexus 5. One thing it does seem to collect is little oily splotches on the back, but that can be easily cleaned with some spray and a cleaning cloth.

The LG Google Nexus 5 will cost you $349 for the 32GB variant on all major GSM US carriers while the iPhone 6 will run you $199 for the base 16GB model that comes with a two year contract. However, purchasing it unlocked will run you an upwards of $700. Neither of these smartphones have removable batteries or have expandable storage so keep that in mind before you buy the 16GB iPhone. You can buy the Nexus 5 in three cool color variants like bright red, black and white while the iPhone can be bought in space grey, silver, and gold.

Both the iPhone 6 and Google Nexus 5 suffer from terrible speaker quality. On each device they’re located directly next to the charging port which means it’s covered whenever you’re playing a game or watching a video. The iPhone 6’s do just barely edge out the Nexus 5’s but that’s to be expected considering the phone is newer by about a full year.

The iPhone 6’s display has now been bumped up to 4.7 inches and now has 750p resolution. It’s every bit as clear as the Nexus 5’s or even the Galaxy S5’s display. I don’t know what it is but Apple always does a great job with its displays.

The Nexus 5 on the other hand boasts a beautiful 4.95” screen which is much more high def than the iPhone 6 as it measures in at 1920 by 1080 and boasts slightly more pixels at 445 per inch , but if I had to choose one display I would go with the iPhone 6’s.

The Nexus 5 runs the latest version of Android KitKat. What’s fantastic about Nexus branded phones is that they’ll always be the first to be updated to the newest Android versions while other devices like the Galaxy Note 4 will receive the update several weeks or months later. The user experience is probably the best of any device I’ve used but the only downside is that it doesn’t have the same amount of features as something like the HTC One.

Now moving onto the iPhone 6, it runs the latest version of iOS, iOS 8. One great thing about Apple is that because their operating system is more locked down you’ll be guaranteed updates for at least the next several years which is something that isn’t guaranteed with the M8. As far as the new features on iOS 8 go there’s now widgets in the notification bar, the ability to quickly respond to message in apps, Apple Pay allows you to now make payments directly from your iPhone 6, and there’s also now talk to type technology. All of these are great additions to the iOS operating system but if you’re currently on Android you probably know these features have been around for a while. That being said, the iPhone 6 is very quick and fluid, if you do decide to purchase the iPhone 6 you won’t be disappointed with the software experience.

However one awesome feature that’s exclusive to the iPhone 6 is touch id. It allows you to unlock your phone with your fingerprint and also make payments with applications like Paypal and purchase items through the App store without using your password.

First I do want to clear something up regarding the Nexus 5. I read all the time about users being unhappy with the Nexus 5’s battery life, it’s not bad, it’s actually really good. While In Japan, I was able to get through most days which would be from about 8am in the morning to 10pm in the evening before it would die. This was with pretty heavy Google maps and navigation usage and the gps constantly scanning. The iPhone 6 on the other hand boasts a miniscule 1810 mAh battery that will last you through a full day. I’ve been putting it on the charger every night with about 10-15% left which isn’t as good as the M8, but it should be good enough.

The final thing we’re going to cover is the camera performance. The iPhone 6 has an 8 megapixel camera, but don’t let the 8 megapixels fool you though because it’s without a doubt the best shooter on the market. The Nexus 5 on the other hand doesn’t have such a great camera performance. It should be more than enough if you’re just looking for basic selfies or a couple shots of the family, but don’t expect dslr quality picture or video, that’s just unrealistic.

The Nexus 5 is an incredible inexpensive device, it features the purest form of Android, good battery life, and a great display. The iPhone 6 offers a polished operating system, new updated screen size, and stellar camera. For me, the Nexus 5 is a better choice because I prefer the Android operating system, but which phone is best for you? Well that choice has to be made for yourself.